Black Friday...Cyber Monday?

What ever happened to Worshipful Sunday? And that after Thanksgiving Thursday! The older I grow the more persuaded I am that "a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" - Luke 12:15. I recall Thanksgiving 1945 in the Pacific aboard the transport bringing our troops home from the Phillipines. World War II was over!...we were going HOME!...the Navy chow (even with a printed menu) was not fancy but traditional and I'm sure there were many grateful soldiers and sailors sharing that day...and...believe it or not, the USS President Jackson had a "gee-dunk" counter ... that's "ice cream" for all you landlubbers! Mamaw (Mary K.) and I will celebrate our 60th anniversary on December 18 ... we look back on the faithfulness of God over the years, especially as we served first in Germany. The first year was spent in a simple 2-room apartment in Frankfurt, and the first Christmas with 1-year-old Judy was marked by seeing her awe when lighting our "Adventskranz" candles each Sunday before Christmas. The fuel was rationed, but we kept cozy warm ... and full of solid German Brot! Well, in our retirement from retirement we are back in a small apartment here in Crawfordsville ... we have a lighted Christmas tree on our balcony wall and lighted garland above our balcony door and have already received this year's first greeting card! We'll be sharing the Bible record of our Saviour's birth with folks here in the building in the weeks ahead...and thinking of all our family, friends and coworkers literally around the world ... God grant you each and all a Blessed Christmas ... and..."THANKS be unto God for His unspeakable GIFT!" - II Corinthians 9:15.

"Trick or Treat?"

At this time of year we recall Halloween celebrations of by-gone years. Like a party in the home of the Wilson sisters not far from us on Stroup Street in Danville, IL. Those were Depression days, so "masking" was simple, if at all, and "Trick or Treat" was not yet invented. But, moving to Wallace, IN, in the mid-thirties brought a new understanding of Halloween for my sisters and me. We had a few parties around, some at school or in church youth groups, with bobbing for apples, games, etc. It was the outside action that amazed us former city kids -- like overturning outhouses (sometimes with residents inside); "tick-tacking" houses with ingenious home-made devices; throwing shelled corn on porches after poor souls inside had gone to bed; and soaping windows on houses and cars (worse, using parafin which required razor blade to remove); or (for older ruffians) putting farmers' wagons on top of their barns! My father made a big mistake early on (and who can blame him?) by getting angry with the Halloweeners who heckled him yearly by driving around the street corner by our house in the wee hours with tires and passengers screaming. But the crowning "trick" was piling junk and trash, one time even a billygoat, in front of Dad's store -- almost a declaration of "war" because one corner of the store was also the town Post Office and as such under U.S. government protection! All in all, we kids came to hate the "celebration," but we always thought Dad somehow enjoyed the excitement! No one then, and very few now, seem to connect the religious origin of Halloween to All Saints and All Souls days in Europe, and so it is a time when the occult reigns with witches, goblins, etc. and, of course, "Trick or Treat" encouraged some years ago by UNESCO. God's Word warns us

to avoid "an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer (communicating with the dead)" (Deuteronomy 18:10,11); and that "in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils (demons)!" (I Timothy 4:1). In spite of tough times, we see folks paying big money for costumes, etc., and we wonder if it would make more sense (cents) to just bob for apples!

Gathering in Summer

Believe it or not, summer is past and fall is here! But it has been a great summer for us, especially in visits by our family. Our daughter Mary Ruth and son-in-law Phil Taylor flew home from Brazil, South America, in June to help Phil's mother move to near Des Moines, IA, to live with Phil's sister, Lorene Burma. They picked up their daughter and our grand-daughter Rachel in Memphis, TN, where she teaches in a Christian Day School, to help out, and then Mary Ruth and Rachel drove on to Crawfordsville for a week or so. As Rachel flew back to TN then Phil joined Mary Ruth for two more weeks visiting with us and overnighting with friends Dick and Anna Redenbaugh who live nearby. We enjoyed every minute with the "kids," and they got to see Aunt Joan and Uncle Russ Gooding and cousins in the area, too, even a cookout with cousins Allen and Karen Gooding at their beautiful country home west of Wallace. Of course, we also drove to Turkey Run State Park for lunch at the Inn, a walk to the "Point" above Sugar Creek and an interesting viewing at the Nature Center. Then...we were pleased to welcome daughter Judy from Gig Harbor, WA, at the new Indianapolis international airport early this month and host her for a blessed 2-week stay with us at the "Super80Motel"! Again, we enjoyed talking, praying, shopping and eating with her, and visiting Turkey Run Park and our loved ones in the area. We (and friends in our apartment building) were richly blessed at our Thursday Bible Class by Rachel's flute solo, Mary Ruth's piano specials, Brazilian coffee and Brazil "rainy day cakes," and Phil's sharing God's Word ... also Judy's provision of Cutter's Point coffee direct from Gig Harbor, delicious WA-state fruit candies and a special piano interlude. All were a real blessing and encouragement to us and other residents here. And Uncle Bob and Aunt Jean Larsh treated us to lunch at Bob Evans followed by cousins Sherrill and Susan Hesler providing a hassle-free van trip to the airport to see Judy off. We can see a rapidly-maturing field of corn from our balcony and it reminds us of a verse in Proverbs 10:5 - "He that gathereth in summer is a wise son; but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame." We're not situated now to literally bring in the harvest, but must say that we have certainly gathered many blessings and memories this summer that we will treasure and draw upon in the months ahead! Thanks, "kids," for giving us such joy! Yes, and let us pray that we may see a harvest of souls in our places and around the world!

Good old golden rule days!

In my early years school started right after Labor Day and I can't remember ever rebelling at going to school as such. But in 1935, the year our family moved from Danville, IL, back to Wallace, IN, I just about resigned from the human race ... or at least from our family. I was 10 and had lots of friends in Danville, but didn't know a single kid in Wallace...and frankly, didn't want to! The move was for our family's benefit and mine, too (so I was told since some relatives thought I was becoming a hoodlum in the city), but because I had started school in the mid-year in IL my folks had to drop me back to 5th grade or push me up to 6th grade. They chose the latter course of action, but it meant I missed out on a semester of mathematics, IN-style! That did it, dear readers, and mentally at least I became a runaway. Mom and Dad and the teachers were patient with me, though, and I stayed and mastered the missing math (... in fact, recently at age 84 I actually figured out how to convert Centigrade to Fahrenheit)! I did gradually get acquainted with some nice country and small-town kids, teachers and ways, and especially remember the sights, sounds and smells of that 2-story brick schoolhouse containing all 12 grades ... including Goldenrod scratch pads and school paste (that tasted good). Other young "outsiders" like me and my younger sisters came to WHS over the years, but I think all would agree that we got a solid education at Wallace that has benefitted us over the years. After high school and service in the Navy I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour, and now I know "that all things work together for good to them that love God" (Romans 8:28)... and, as they say it in German, "man lehrnt nie aus" (one never finishes learning). Also, as one observing wag has said, "Too soon oldt, und too late schmardt!"

Summer daze

Life in summer in Danville, IL, as a kid during the late 1920's and early 1930's was surely interesting and challenging. I recall playing in the deserted glass factory behind our home on Stroup Street and bear a sliver of glass in my left hand to prove it. We guys had fun playing along the C&EI railroad tracks at the end of the street, especially all over the parked box cars, but it was really dangerous. It was also the place where the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey CIRCUS unloaded for their stay at the Fairgrounds not far away. Wow! The Fairgrounds also had a nice outdoors swimming pool to cool off in. We enjoyed rummaging through the Chuckles Candy factory dump site for some castaway jelly orange slices among the sweepings ... a little unsanitary, but tasty, nevertheless! Just beyond the factory across the street was a favorite night spot -- Garfield Park with free cowboy movies each week. Don't tell my parents (when you get to Heaven), but I must confess that I smoked a 5-cent cigar one night at the show there and didn't even throw up as a consequence ... at least, that's my story. Summer then was not complete without the familiar ding-a-ling of the horse-drawn ICE CREAM wagon that came by daily ... and you always got a candy cherry on top of the scrumptious cone! There were several good buddies in the neighborhood, including Billy Britton and Tommy Walge. Tommy lived around the corner on Cronkhite Street and his dad teased me about "sitting down to walk" while riding my Montgomery Ward balloon-tired bike (which my Dad really sacrificed to get)! Well, we can't re-live such good memories, but now and then we may find a sort of "deja vu" ... like I did a few years ago when I found Tommy at home living at the same old address! He shared some of his life, including World War II service, and I updated him and his wife on my life's journey since "summer daze" in Danville so many years ago. And it was a special joy to tell him how I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour right after the War, and to urge him to make that same decision, too. I do hope to see him again in Heaven, along with others we knew in our childhood. It's so comforting to know "whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord

SHALL BE SAVED" (Romans 10:13)!

Memorial Day

Our nation celebrated Memorial Day last Monday, but we leave soon to go by the cemetery just west of Waynetown, IN, where son Jim is buried. He went to be with the Lord in August 1987 and we miss him greatly, along with his older sister Debbie who lived in DeKalb, IL, when the Lord took her home to heaven in June, 1998. Neither served in our Armed Forces, but we believe they both were lost in this spiritual war that Christians are engaged in everywhere. Debbie was born on May 31, 1954, in Weilheim/Oberbayern, Germany where we were serving as missionaries. Before birth she was watched over by a German "Hebamme" (midwife) named Frau Wagner, a very gracious lady, and when the big event was about to happen she transported the expectant Mom to the Weilheim hospital in her little VW! We had let it be known that we were expecting a boy, so one of the attending nurses came to me shortly after Debbie's arrival and profusely apologized, "Oh, es tut uns Leid, Herr Grimes, dass Sie eine Tochter haben!" ("We're sorry, but you have a daughter!") I assured the sister that we were happy to have a little girl safe on the scene and Mom doing well, too. Since she was born on May 31 the Germans called her a little "Mai Kaefer" ("June bug"), but we named her Deborah Sue. Later our young people there dubbed her "Susie" but here at home she was always "Debbie" growing up. She loved music, learned piano and especially loved to sing Christian songs and hymns, with her two sisters and Mother making a nice musical team in our ministry. She enjoyed two years of study at Faith Baptist Bible College at Ankeny, IA, and sang with groups and the School Chorale on tour one year, and my sweetest memory of her singing was at our son-in-law's ordination in Michigan City, IN, after she received the PHT degree ("Putting Hubbie Through") at his graduation from Hyles-Anderson College! She and Dan were a real blessing to our congregation at Trinity Baptist Church at Bloomfield, IN, too. On Jim's gravestone are the Bible words from Hebrews 12:2 - "Looking unto Jesus" - and we recall how he loved playing on his guitar and singing "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace." We believe that he and Debbie, with other loved ones who have gone on to Glory, are experiencing the fullest meaning of those verses now! We remember them fondly, praise the Lord for sending them into our lives, and look forward to seeing them again ... what a memorable Memorial Day that will be!

"Last one in is a .....!"

While attending Jr. and Sr. High School at Wallace ('36-'42) - all in the same building (!) - it was the custom for most of the boys who lived in town to go swimming on the last day of school. Back then, when so many of the country boys helped on the farm, they finished the school year late in April or early May. So, when that last bell sounded at good ol' WHS I remember so clearly how a bunch of us guys headed over the hill east of the school for that first (oftimes COLD) dip in Mill Creek. What a refreshing ritual! When the creek was high from spring rains it was dangerous swimming, too, and I recall once trying to swim across when it was out of its banks ... and it almost ended in tragedy. Don't think my folks ever learned about it and I never even shared with the other guys how scared I was when I finally made it across the stream. But we did enjoy the "'ol swimmin' hole" through the summer when, as the old song goes, "the livin' was easy." Other memorable swimming holes included: the Fairgrounds pool at Danville, IL, when visiting my buddy Hubie Fisher there; the artesian water pool at Lodi, IN, which left a rotten-egg smell oozing through your pores into the next day; and, believe it or not, Gatun Lake on the eastern end of the Panama Canal! Our ship anchored there as it awaited transit through the Canal, so the skipper let the crew go for a dip ... not recorded in the WWII news reports! I was never a Mark Phelps, but always enjoyed a good swim, thanks to lessons at age 10 at the YMCA in Danville! The prophet Isaiah makes an interesting statement about God's ability to overcome His enemies in and through the Millennial Kingdom ahead: "...He shall spread forth His hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth forth his hands to swim; and He shall bring down their pride together...!" (Isaiah 25:11) Quite an illustration ... talk about Olympic gold medals!